


Time Well Spent

by RedTeamShark



Series: Scents Like Sugar [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alpha Care, Alpha Mercury, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Canon Shuffling, Cuddling, Discussed Child Abuse, Discussed Kidnapping, Fluff, M/M, Omega Jaune, Scars, Sparring, blowjob
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-12-12 20:57:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11745054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedTeamShark/pseuds/RedTeamShark
Summary: It wasn't just a fluke, those days between the dance and the first real Huntsman assignments really were bringing them closer.And they weren't the only ones who saw it.





	1. Date

**Author's Note:**

> A few dates and a few conversations later…  
> Volume 2 officially moves too fast for my liking, so I added a time gap between the dance and the first assignments that isn’t there in canon. Suck it, canon.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mercury…?”  
> He saw the stiffness in the shoulders, the way they pulled upwards. His question was obvious. “It’s… a long story.”

Things were normal. Totally and completely normal and--

“Jaune?”

The blond nearly jumped out of his skin as a hand settled on his shoulder, whipping around. “P-Pyrrha, hi! Um, what… what’s up?”

“You seem…” She paused, looking him up and down slowly. “Tense?”

“Tense? I’m not tense, maybe  _ you’re _ tense--”

“Jaune…” Nora popped up on his other side, leaning up to put her chin to his shoulder. “You’re tense.”

“H-hey, personal space…” It was no use, the two Alpha girls on his team manipulating his actions, leading him to sit on the bed. Jaune looked to his side, where Ren sat. “You too?”

“I had nothing to do with this.”

“You couldn’t even warn me?” He stage-whispered, trying to put on his best puppy eyes.

Ren was unfazed. “Nothing to do with it.”

Slowly, Jaune looked to Pyrrha and Nora as the two settled on the bed across from himself and Ren. “Guys. I’m fine, really.”

“It’s not that we think you’re not fine…” Pyrrha started, her hands folding in her lap. “It’s just… Just…”

“None of us know this Alpha you’re head over heels for.”

“Nora!” Jaune fought down the blush to no avail. “I-I’m not... “

“I’m not wrong.” She looked between her team mates, shrugging. “Well, I’m not.”

Ren nodded slowly. “She’s not wrong.”

“ _ Thank _ you.”

Jaune held up his hands, trying to keep some sort of focus. Sort of a mistake, but he did need to clear this up sooner, rather than later. “Mercury and I just… Hang out sometimes. He likes…” Think of something in common, think of  _ something _ … “Comic books. He likes comic books and so do I, so… We hang out. And read comics.”

“And you come back smelling like he’s been all over you…” Ren mumbled, rubbing his side as Jaune elbowed him.

“And you’ve been tense lately,” Pyrrha added, safely out of elbowing range. “It’s not that we think you’re not fine, like I said, it’s just…” Was there a tactful way to phrase this? She’d better find it fast before Nora--

“We don’t want him making you do anything you don’t want to do. You know how us Alphas are, we all--”

“Nora.”

“--and then you get a sweet Omega who--”

“ _ Nora _ .”

“--and next thing you know wham-bam babytown!”

“ _ Nora _ !” The combined effort of all three of her team mates shouting her name brought Nora’s focus back.

“Well, I’m not wrong. Still.”

Jaune bit his lip, rubbing the back of his neck slowly. Okay, so they  _ did _ do that… sometimes. And it  _ was _ kind of a fast-moving thing, but… “Look, he’s going back to Haven after the Vytal Festival. So in a few weeks, it won’t be anything… I’m not gonna give up being a Huntsman for the first Alpha that comes along and I’m not gonna abandon this team.” He stood, stepping into the middle of the beds and looking at the other three. “I guess I just… Thought you all wouldn’t approve.”

Ren stood up next to him, one hand settling lightly on his shoulder. “As long as you’re happy, what wouldn’t we approve of?”

* * *

“So… They’re cool with it?” 

“I guess?” Jaune shrugged, flipping to the next page in the comic. “They’re worse than parents.”

“Yeah?” Mercury settled onto the bed with him, leaning over and kissing the top of his head. 

“Well, at least they didn’t lecture me about safe, uh… dating.” Why was he still embarrassed to say it? They’d  _ done _ it a few times, and he wasn’t embarrassed in the moment, but just hanging out like this… 

“Lucky you. I got it up and down from my team…” His arms wrapped around Jaune, chin resting on his shoulder from behind. “Mostly ‘don’t be an asshole’ from Emerald, but Cinder was… worried, too.”

“What about your fourth team mate?”

He hummed, verbally shrugging. “She doesn’t talk. So she just gave me a…  _ look _ . But she’s a Beta, doesn’t really care either way.”

“Ah… Yeah, Nora and Pyrrha are both Alphas and Ren’s an Omega like me…” Jaune flipped the comic shut, wiggling to press himself against Mercury, chest to chest. “Hey…”

“Hey.” One silver eyebrow rose as Jaune pressed a quick kiss to his nose. “What’s up?”

“Hanging out in your room is fun, but… Well… I was wondering…” Jaune took a deep breath, forcing himself to ask the question that had been lingering since the conversation with his team. “Are we--I mean, can we, like… Go  _ out _ sometime?”

“Like a date?”

“Y… Yeah.”

Mercury frowned and Jaune felt his heart sink. Of course, it wasn’t romantic, it wasn’t anything like he’d built it up to be in his mind, it was--

“Yeah, sure. Maybe… Out to lunch somewhere? We can go Sunday, when there’s no classes.” Mercury smiled, leaning in and kissing the worry off Jaune’s face. “Sounds good?”

Jaune grinned, kissing him again. “Out to lunch. Sunday. Yeah, that sounds good.”

“Sounds like a date.”

* * *

Maybe it was to tell himself that this was more than just sex. That there was some deeper feeling than just instinct between them.

Maybe it was to convince his team that he wasn’t being taken advantage of. That he could take care of himself, even if he wasn’t as strong as Nora, as skilled as Pyrrha, or as smart as Ren.

And maybe it didn’t matter that much, because Jaune had fun and Mercury seemed to genuinely like his company. It was easy to hang out with the Alpha from Haven Academy. They had enough in common to find conversation, enough different to have questions about each other. Though Jaune found himself doing most of the talking, he considered any new information about Mercury a small victory in his growing social abilities.

“So…” Mercury nudged him lightly with an arm as they walked, aimless wandering around the Beacon campus after classes had let out for the day. “What made you want to come to Beacon?”

Jaune nudged right back, choosing his words carefully. “My… family has a legacy here. I wanted to continue the tradition…” He bit his lip for a moment, debating. Tell the truth and risk the shame? Being blackmailed again didn’t have any appeal, but he didn’t think Mercury would actually use it against him. “Even if I’m not good enough to be here.”

“Not good enough?”

“I’m not strong, or skilled, or smart… Heck, I don’t even know what my semblance really is… Or how to track my aura… Or… Or any of the stuff that you’re supposed to know by the time you get to a place like this. I’m just--”

“An effective on-the-field strategist, brave leader, and tenacious fighter,” Mercury finished for him, shrugging at Jaune’s look of confusion. “I like watching people fight. I’ve seen what you can do. You’ve got it in you, even if it’s… Taking some time to come out.”

“Late bloomer…” He mumbled, rubbing his arm and looking down to hide the flush on his cheeks. The compliments were nice. Especially coming from someone like Mercury, someone who  _ could _ fight. “So… Why’d you want to go to Haven?”

Mercury exhaled loudly, head tilting back to look up at the sky. “You came here because of your family legacy… To continue it. I went to Haven to… to try to change mine.” His steps slowed, eyes darting around to make sure they were alone. “My old man wasn’t… exactly on the right and just side of things. Tried to raise me to be the same way. I… got the chance to choose my own path, though, and decided that I wanted to do… anything that he never would. Anything he’d never be able to.”

“O-oh… I see…” Sort of. It seemed like a sore subject. “Well, I’m sure that you’ll do better than him.”

The clouds cleared from Mercury’s face, replaced with a smile as he leaned in, pressed a brief kiss to Jaune’s lips. “Yeah… Me, too.”

They wandered their way back to the dorms, subjects lighter. Mostly about the upcoming assignments they’d be sent on. Normally something like that, proving himself in the real world under the watchful eye of a real Huntsman, would make Jaune a nervous wreck, but… Talking about it with Mercury made it seem like just another day. Just another thing he’d be able to do. The comfort in that confidence was nice.

“You want to stay a while?” Mercury offered at his door, his fingertips reaching up to brush the back of Jaune’s neck, sending a shiver up his spine.

“I do, but… It can’t be all night. Gotta get up early for mission day.”

“That’s fine.” He stepped into the room, left the door open and after a moment Jaune followed, shutting the door behind him. They two of them settled onto the bed, Mercury’s arms securing themselves around Jaune’s waist and holding him close.

The blond curled into him, eyes closing as he breathed in Mercury’s scent. It was quickly becoming familiar, comfortable, something he knew he could enjoy forever… Jaune opened one eye, looking up at Mercury with a smile. “You know…”

“Hm?”

“It’s kind of… warm in here today.”

“Is that a hint?”

Well, the flush on his cheeks certainly implied  _ something _ … “Maybe… I mean… I know  _ I’m _ nice and warm when you do this.”

Mercury let him go long enough to pull his shirt off, tugging Jaune’s away afterwards and dropping both garments over the edge of the bed. He laid down on his back, getting comfortable as Jaune settled beside him. “What happened to ‘it can’t be all night’?”

“It’s still early.” Jaune trailed a finger up and down Mercury’s torso, tracing his collarbones, his ribs, his hip bones as he went. Each touch left a trail of goosebumps, and that he was the one causing such a reaction was more than a little exciting. Experimentally, testing his limits, the Omega leaned in and pressed a light kiss against Mercury’s chest.

He was a willing participant in the sex they had, happy to receive the pleasures Mercury offered… but he had never initiated it, never asked for it without Mercury first offering. The closeness lately had emboldened him, however, told him that this wasn’t one-sided lust. There was something more between them than just what instinct wanted.

“Mmm…” Mercury’s fingers slid through his hair, his eyes closing as he relaxed. 

Alpha care, he’d heard Blake and Ren talking about it. Being an Omega wasn’t just about passively lying back and letting your Alpha do what they wanted, it was about giving them the best you had, both as a thank you for what they gave, and an encouragement to keep it coming. Wasn’t always sexual--he knew full well Ren and Nora’s routine, him massaging the knots of overworked muscle out of every inch of her after training--but there was definitely an element of that closeness.

Mercury was his Alpha, and he’d care for him. Let him relax, let him enjoy something without the direct need for reciprocation. Jaune’s mouth moved lower, his fingers slipping just barely into the waistband of Mercury’s pants. He was relaxed, enjoying the touches, the kisses, the small bites he dared leave on occasion. Jaune glanced up, waiting until Mercury opened his eyes to ask. “I… um… can I…?”

“You can do whatever you want.”

He swallowed down his nerves, sitting up just enough to unzip Mercury’s pants, tugging them down his hips a short ways. Mercury never took his pants off all the way, Jaune wasn’t going to do it to him. He tugged his underwear down, too, eyes widening. Sure, he’d  _ seen _ his Alpha’s cock before, but never up close like this and--that thing fit  _ inside _ him?!

Above him Mercury laughed, his fingers brushing through Jaune’s hair again. “The way you’re staring is gonna inflate my ego…”

“W-well… The way you’re, um, reacting is… is inflating mine.” He really needed to work on his dirty talk. Especially on the ‘saying it out loud without sounding like a dork’ part.

“All for you.” Alpha confidence, that’s what it had to be.

Jaune leaned in closer, inhaling, not quite touching yet. Would he taste like he smelled? Cool spearmint and sharp gunpowder? It smelled good, especially on Mercury, but… The blond opened his mouth, running his tongue over the cock in front of him quickly. Didn’t taste like either of those things, didn’t taste like much of anything, but more important than the taste was the reaction, Mercury’s hand leaving his hair and grasping the sheet, his body tensing.

“Was--are you okay?”

“Fine… That… That felt good,” the Alpha whispered, body slowly relaxing again. “Anticipation got to me, I guess…”

“Well, I don’t want to leave you waiting.” Yes! That was smooth! And so was the way he took Mercury’s cock into his mouth, tongue swirling around the head before he slowly moved lower. He eased back when it brushed the back of his throat, exhaling slowly and moving down again. Steady, his tongue working over skin, hand coming to wrap around what he couldn’t take in his mouth and stroke. 

There was taste now, slightly salty pre-cum. Jaune pulled off slowly, gave Mercury’s length a light squeezes and quick stroke with his hand and watched more pre-cum ooze from the tip of his cock. He leaned in, ran his tongue up the trail left behind and pressed it to the slit, giving another stroke. Below him Mercury tensed again, his breathing coming faster. Jaune took him into his mouth again, tongue working and head bobbing slightly. The room filled with the sounds of Mercury’s panting breath, his body twitching upwards now and then. 

“J… Jaune, fuck, I--I’m gonna…” Mercury groaned, one hand clapping over his mouth as Jaune sped up his pace.

He closed his mouth over the head of Mercury’s cock as he felt the swell, stroked his hand faster. There wasn’t time to reflect on what he was about to do, not really time to consider if he would be  _ able _ to do it. Making his Alpha feel good, taking care of him, that was what was important.

Mercury came with a muffled shout and Jaune swallowed as much as he could, pulling back and coughing, feeling cum drip down his chin. He reached over the edge of the bed blindly, grabbed a shirt and wiped his face with it.

“You okay?” Mercury propped himself up slightly, his breathing still labored, eyes still glazed over.

“Yeah, I just… that was, um, a lot.” Jaune glanced at the shirt in his hands, sighing. “And now it’s all over my shirt.”

“You can wear mine…” The Alpha reached for him, pulled him in and kissed him slowly. “Mmm… that was… wow…”

He grinned, kissed Mercury again and gently pushed him to lie down. “I guess… Normally I’m the one that’s all incoherent…” Jaune grabbed Mercury’s shirt from the floor, pulling it on before lying down with him, curling up close. “Mmm… short nap.”

He must have drifted off, they both must have… the next thing Jaune knew was the weight on the bed shifting, Mercury carefully climbing over him and out. He whined softly, turned the direction Mercury had left to try to bring him back. When he only met empty bed he opened his eyes, propping himself up slightly and squinting. Mercury was across the room at his dresser, probably getting a new shirt, his back to Jaune. His back…

“Mercury…?”

He saw the stiffness in the shoulders, the way they pulled upwards. His question was obvious. “It’s… a long story.”


	2. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He took a breath, swallowed down the truth and went with the answer he knew needed to be heard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go me for finally breaking the plot-smut pattern. Anyways, it’s time to learn more about Mercury!

“Alright, guys, let’s try Flower Power again!” Jaune’s voice made his steps pause, attention darting to the classroom. The notice board outside declared it Team JNPR’s training room until six, the clock above showing that it was just shy of five. Mercury stepped closer, leaning on the doorframe and looking into the room.

Team training, preparations for the upcoming Vytal Festival. Any team was able to sign up for a private classroom, with or without an instructor there to help, in two hour chunks after classes let out for the day. He knew because there’d been a blaring announcement on campus every morning, noon, and evening. Cinder had asked them if they needed it, her voice clearly indicating that the answer had better be no.

And here was Team JNPR, doing just that. Mercury watched the four of them, unable to help his smirk. Jaune stood in the center of the room, looking around at his team. He could see Pyrrha’s strained smile, her false cheer and encouragement. Nora’s back was to him, her hands on her knees, small frame heaving with heavy breathing. Ren was on his back on the floor, small groans coming from him.

“Jaune… Please… No more…” He gasped out, raising one hand with an effort to wave him off. “Gonna… pass out…”

“Ren…” Jaune stepped over, pulling his fellow Omega up with a grunt. “We have to get better if we want to qualify for the tournament.”

“Maybe… Maybe we should call it a day?” Pyrrha offered, stretching her arms over her head. “We have class early tomorrow, after all, and…”

Nora’s stomach audibly growled. “And I’m _hungry_!” She declared, spinning on her heel and marching towards the door. That seemed to cement the end of the team training session, Ren following with slumped shoulders, Pyrrha offering an apologetic smile before going after them.

Mercury stepped out of the doorway, waiting a moment to see if Jaune would go join his team. When he only heard a groan from inside the room he stepped back in, entering the classroom and shutting the door behind him. “Having fun?”

Jaune had dropped to the floor, lying face-down against the smooth tile. “No.”

“That’s… probably really dirty.”

“It is.” He sat up, brushing a streak of dust off his face and looking over. “So, how much of that amazing display of failure did you see? Ready to start laughing at us?”

“I only saw the end.” Mercury crossed the room, leaned down and pulled Jaune to his feet. “For a leader, you don’t seem to have much pull with your team.”

“Thanks. You are just… just the most encouraging.” The blond leaned against him, closing his eyes. “Sorry. I’m just… frustrated. We’re trying to get better about having plans in place, but no one seems to want to put in the work. Can’t just rely on Nora hitting people with her hammer to win every fight.”

The Alpha weighed his options, his hand turning in Jaune’s. He could just leave it alone, make it easier for them all… But Cinder wanted Pyrrha in the finals for the tournament, had focused in on the redhead Mistral girl as the most likely target. If team JNPR couldn’t make it through at least the first round of the tournament… “Do you want to practice?”

“My team sort of left.”

“You still have the room for an hour. And a little one on one isn’t a bad idea.”

Jaune’s face scrunched up for a moment, before he stepped back, picking up his sword and shield. “Not gonna immediately forfeit to me, too, right?”

“Oh, that burns. And I thought you were a nice guy.” Mercury grinned, dropping into a defensive stance. “Come on, then. Show me what you got.”

Attack, block, counter, pin. Kill. Mercury knew the pattern of a fight as naturally as breathing. Jaune’s movements were beyond predictable, his form absolutely terrible, and his intent always hesitant. For more than one obvious reason he couldn’t go all out, something that would normally make a fight like this boring. But getting to see Jaune pinned below him, flushed and sweaty, getting to hear him whine and feel him struggle… That was entertaining enough.

“It’s because you’re an Alpha,” the blond insisted, letting himself be pulled upright for the fifth or sixth time. “You’re just naturally _better_ at stuff like this, it comes with the type. Right?”

“It comes with the training, type has nothing to do with it.” He struck with a kick, smiling as Jaune actually got his shield up in time. “You need someone that won’t go easy on you to practice with. You need to feel like every fight, you’re fighting for your life.”

“Is that how you learned?” His attempt to counter was clumsy, an easy sidestep and outstretched leg sending him crashing to the floor. Again.

Mercury frowned, looking towards the doors. Of course it was how his useless drunk of an old man had taught him to fight, he had the scars to prove it. And… “Yeah, sorta... “

“Can’t believe Haven would do it that way.”

“They don’t.”

Jaune pushed himself upright, frowning. “What does that--”

His question was interrupted by the chime of the six o’clock bell from the tower, announcing the hour and, of course, the end of Team JNPR’s booked time in the room. Mercury reached out a hand, hauling Jaune to his feet and kissing him quickly. “I’d better go, actually. Team stuff…” He smiled, his hand brushing the Omega’s cheek gently. “Keep practicing, you’re getting better. I’ll see you later.”

* * *

“Mercury.”

He snapped to attention, looking to Cinder and standing as she gestured, following her. He was well aware of the danger of ignoring her with _that_ tone of voice, felt an involuntary shudder at the mere idea. There was no question of her authority.

The room she led him to was dim, lit by a singular glowing candle. Her eyes shone gold in it and he felt himself drawn in, even as his body wanted to flinch back from that overpowering glow. Cinnamon and smoke were heavy in the air.

Cinder’s fingertips brushed under his chin, manicured nails drawing his face closer to hers, an easy gesture putting him in a position of submission, though they were both Alphas and he stood almost an entire head taller than her. There was no fighting against Cinder’s power, however, nor against her will. He’d never even tried.

“I see how you look at him..." The candle flame rose and fell, rhythmic. "I see how he looks at you, too."

Mercury swallowed against the words that jumped to his lips. No.

"He could be yours, Mercury. I could make it happen. _She_ could make it happen." The candle flame danced, writhing in the dark room.

"I... don't want him. It's an act to get closer to our target." He saw the flash of distrust in her eyes and continued before she could question it, smirking. "I must be doing a pretty good job of it." There was still doubt in her golden eyes, still a lingering distrust. He took a breath, swallowed down the truth and went with the answer he knew needed to be heard. “Besides that, he already belongs to me… I could get him to do anything I wanted.”

The candle huffed out on a breath and for a moment he swore he saw her eyes glowing brighter than ever. He felt Cinder’s warmth against him, tilted his head down and inhaled against her neck. “Mercury…” Her hand trailed down from his chin, along his arm, nails digging in. “You’re terrible at lying to me.”

“Please…” His voice was soft, pleading. “I don’t want to do… that to him.”

“It might be worse if you don’t.”

“I’ll live with my choice.” As long as she let it be his choice. As long as they left Jaune out of the worst of it. Let him keep the one spot of light in the darkness that he’d allowed himself to be consumed by.

Cinder’s touch turned gentle again, her body close, warm, breath on his neck sending shivers up his spine. “I trust you.”

He closed his eyes, breathed steadily and waited until her scent had faded from the air to open them again. The room was still almost pitch black, but after a few seconds he spotted the narrow line of light that signified the door to the hallway, made a hasty escape.

He’d never asked her for anything in return for his loyalty. Never questioned her plans or motives. Never left his orders unfulfilled. If she could just give him this one thing… Leave this one thing alone…

Mercury shook his head, picking up pace down the hallway to seek out Jaune. To look at him, smell him, touch him, and know he was real and safe. Safe from the danger that he directly caused. Maybe they could go for a walk around the school, talk about nothing. Anything was better than thinking about what Cinder had just offered.

* * *

He should have known better.

His guard slipped, caution gone with comfort. Mercury let himself believe that Jaune was asleep, or asleep enough, let himself believe that he was subtle enough. Jaune was wearing his shirt and his Omega’s shirt was dirty. He needed to get something to wear before the blond woke up.

“Mercury…?”

His shoulders drew up, entire body tensing. There was no hiding it, not in the sunlight that streamed through the window. That probably highlighted every scar across his skin. There were too many to come from just fighting. “It’s… a long story.”

When Jaune didn’t interrupt the silence, he shut his dresser drawer, moving back to the bed and sitting down. He felt tentative fingers hover over his shoulder, leaned back into Jaune’s hand and closed his eyes. He could do this. His old man was long dead. He’d made sure. “My old man… wanted me to be like him. Wanted me to fight like him. So he taught me how.”

Lips pressed to his shoulder gently, trailing upwards to his neck as Jaune’s hands slowly ran up and down his arms. “Fighting for your life…”

“Every time.”

“Mercury…”

“I got sick of it. Or maybe I just got Alpha enough to stand up for myself. I don’t know. A couple of years ago, I got strong enough to beat him for once. I made sure it was the only time I’d need to win. Just in case… Just in case it was a fluke.” Saying it out loud was easier than he’d thought. Telling someone about it, not just having them come across the scene and seem to understand.

“Did you…”

He turned, pressed his lips to Jaune’s forehead and hummed. “Do you want to know the answer?”

Jaune leaned into him, pressed his nose to Mercury’s neck and inhaled slowly. “No.” He pressed kisses there, too, hands trailing down to find Mercury’s, their fingers locking together. “You did what you had to do. And I don’t need to know what it was.” He looked up, caught Mercury’s gaze with his own bright blue eyes and smiled. “Whatever you did, it means you’re here, and I’m glad.”

“You are… so weird.” Mercury laughed softly, leaning in and kissing him slowly. “But… But thanks. For, y’know, not freaking out.”

They moved slowly, Mercury letting Jaune guide him, letting himself lie down on his stomach. The hands and lips that worked over his back were gentle, seemed to ease some secret pain on each scar they touched. The bruises had long faded, the broken bones healed as well as they ever would, and what couldn’t be healed had been… replaced. And yet, this still felt… renewing. Comforting, maybe. The ease with which he relaxed into Jaune’s touch, let his guard down for one of the few times in his life.

He found himself talking without thinking about it first. “He was a drunk. Always smelled like liquor. Kept us in this little house out in the middle of nowhere, kept me inside it with stories about the monsters that would eat a little runt like me if I ever left. When I stopped believing that the monsters outside would be worse than the ones inside, he… kept me inside in other ways.” A shiver raced up his spine involuntarily and he felt Jaune’s hands chase in, gentle pressure soothing the tension from his muscles.

“You don’t have to tell me this if it hurts you.”

“I’m okay.” Well, not really, but… Weight settled against his back, Jaune’s body lying stretched out over his and the Omega’s arms wrapping around his torso. He shivered, much more pleasantly, at the feeling of lips on his neck. “I never really… acknowledged it, after I left. It was over, I wanted to forget.”

“But sometimes…” Jaune hummed, his forehead pressed to Mercury’s shoulder. “It’s like having a nightmare when you’re a little kid. Sometimes it’s not over until you talk about it to get it out of your system.”

Mercury closed his eyes, nodding minutely against the pillow. “Yeah…”

The sun sank below the horizon and the room dimmed, then darkened completely. The only sound was the pair’s even breathing, a well-deserved night of restful sleep for both.

* * *

“You Alphas really know how to play hardball…”

“Can you do it, or can’t you?”

The man stretched out, spinning his cane. “Of course I can. We’ll add it to the schedule… Strike during the confusion of the Vale attack and get this little Omega to you.”

In the darkness, Cinder’s smile was sharp. “Good. I’d hate for Mercury to not understand my… _appreciation_ of his loyalty.”


End file.
